4 stars A sweet story of a girl’s first time fasting for Ramadan. At first, Lailah is excited about being able to fast, but after moving from Abu Dhabi to American, she’s worried about explaining fasting and Ramadan to her teachers and classmates who might not understand. One aspect I loved about the book is…
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3 stars I’d like to take a moment to just marvel at Maroh’s artwork. That color scheme is just… wow. Okay, on to the review. As I said the artwork is great. I loved the color choices. They really captured the desert versus water dynamic going on. The art style I loved so much in Blue…
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4 stars A powerful read that demands to be heard, that defines its own voice, and rejects any false labels others try to pin on it. This book empowers readers to be themselves, to be who they are in all the ways they are. With messages of confidence, bravery, perseverance, curiosity, respect, humor, tenderness, and…
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4 stars A beautiful exploration of the ways differences can separate people, but common interests can bridge the gaps to bring them closer together. Spanning age, language, and culture, Lê demonstrates how relationships do not have to be defined by the words we use to communicate. All they need is a shared space to overcome…
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5 stars A powerful tale of a life lived and how quickly the world can change. Inside Out & Back Again tells the story of a year in the life of Hà, based on Thanhha Lai’s own childhood. In that year (1975), Hà experiences the Fall of Saigon, the treacherous journey by ship to America,…
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4 stars A delicious book recounting the tale of a girl trying different foods (even though pizza is the best!) for the sake of science. Perfect for pizza lovers of all ages and a good reminder about how fun (and delectable!) it can be to try new foods. Gianna Ruggiero‘s illustrations are just the right…
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4 stars Absolutely loved this collection! There is so much positive energy and joy packed into this book. Despite the struggles presented in each story, they all show so much love and acceptance in their themes and characters. There’s a great variety in terms of plot, style, and the authors who wrote them. Loved seeing…
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5 stars A fiercely powerful collection of prominent voices in the YA and children’s lit community. This is a book everyone should read. Regardless of race, ethnicity, skin color, age, religion. Everyone should read this book. Told from a variety of perspectives, each parent, author, artist, and educator gets at the same message of a…
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4 stars A well-written book that takes some big topics and simplifies them for a young audience. Systemic racism can be a big idea that’s hard to wrap your head around, especially when you aren’t used to trying to see it or when it’s easier to ignore. This book helps kids and adults alike understand…
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3 stars Aesthetically, this books is absolutely gorgeous. Julia Iredale knocked it out of the park with those illustrations and, let’s be real, that cover is perfection. Overall, the stories were good. What Chainani did well, he did very well. The diversity of the characters is splendid. Loved the cultural elements woven in. Not just giving us…
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